Best button lay-out for both fightrs AND consoles?

[pmc]

I have a prototype 2-player 6-button CP that's been in use with MAME for perhaps 1.5 years now. I also have a Dreamcast in the cabinet and often use ePSXe too.

I know that there's been lots of discussion here about six buttons -- to curve them, angle them, or leave them straight. But the one thing I have not seen discussed is how to maintain both a 6-button fighter layout while also maintaining something that will work well for consoles.

Here's an illustration based on my current CP. The Player-2 controls are the angled fighter-game layout I have in use now. Works great for fighters as well as all the classics (although you have to palm over the other not-in-use buttons to get to buttons-1 and 2 when you play the classics).

The Player-1 layout is what I'm toying with. See how button 4 is directly below button 2? And Button 1 and 5 are along the same horizonal line. I can therefore configure them exactly like a PSX or Dreamcast controller lay-out without having to think about buttons while I'm playing ("which one was the smart-bomb button again?")

Has anyone used such an extreme angle and been happy with the results while playing 3 or more button MAME games? I'd hate to get it right for consoles but screw myself for all the MAME arcade games. Is there a lesser angle that fakes it enough?

I have noted that button 4 is too far away to be "reverse" in Defender so I don't really play Defender any more (for shame). But I can add a 7th button for Defender and also map it to be Button-1 for use with 1-button games (so I don't have to palm my way over the other buttons to get to the only relevant one).

If push comes to shove, I'll probably go with my original layout plust a 7th button because a) it works well already and b) most of the best console games that play well on cabinets are fighters and shooters anyway and console button lay-out does not have to be maintained.

I'd love to hear others have thought through about this.

- pmc

[Patent Doc]

What about something like this?

          X   X   X
        X   X   X
          X

The diamond fits your console wishes, the top row plus the left most on the second row can be neogeo, and the first six left to right can be for fighters in an arc pattern.

          X                        X   X   X               X   X   
        X   X         +      X                    +    X   X   X
          X                                                   X
       

[pmc]

What about something like this?

That could work! I'll play around with it and see what I can get to work. I'd get my Defender reverse button too. The only drawback I see is that I'd have some rewiring to do... but that's OK....

Thanks!

Anyone else try this and have comments?